Understanding the CA symbol and the final stock signals that investors need to know

When entering the stock trading platform, you may notice abbreviations appearing after stock names, such as CA, XD, XM, T1, T2, or H. These abbreviations are not just random symbols; they carry important meanings related to trading and shareholder rights. Understanding these abbreviations is therefore crucial after deciding to invest.

CA Mark: Signal of Corporate Action Movement

CA stands for Corporate Action, indicating that the company is about to undergo some change or movement within the next 7 days. When you see the CA mark attached to a stock, you can click to view details about what event will occur and when.

The CA mark can be categorized based on the type of action the company is about to announce.

First Group: X Mark - Rights Exclusion

Marks starting with X come from the word “Excluding,” meaning investors will not receive certain rights if they buy the stock during this period.

XD (Excluding Dividend) – Exclusion of dividends. When a stock has an XD mark, it means that if you buy the stock during this period, you will not receive the dividend rights for this round. However, if you hold the stock until the next XD date, you will be entitled to the dividend in the following cycle. A common question among investors is: When is the right time to buy to receive dividends? The answer is: You need to buy on or before the XD date—buying just one day before is enough to qualify. Additionally, regardless of when you buy, all eligible shareholders will receive dividends at the same rate.

XM (Excluding Meetings) – Exclusion of shareholder meetings. If you buy stock with this mark, you will not be able to attend the upcoming shareholder meeting, which is an opportunity for shareholders to give opinions and participate in decision-making on important company issues.

XW (Excluding Warrant) – Exclusion of warrant rights. Warrant shares are securities that allow the holder to convert into the main stock, usually at a 1:1 ratio. To convert, you may need to pay additional money at a specified exercise price, which is also a form of additional fundraising for the company.

XS (Excluding Short-term Warrant) – Exclusion of short-term warrant rights. If you buy stock with this mark, you will not have the opportunity to subscribe for short-term shares.

XR (Excluding Rights) – Exclusion of rights to subscribe for new shares. Usually, rights offerings are for “capital increase” shares issued to raise additional funds after new business opportunities arise.

XT (Excluding Transferable Subscription Right) – Exclusion of transferable subscription rights. If you buy stock with this mark, you will not receive transferable rights to subscribe for additional shares.

XI (Excluding Interest) – Exclusion of interest. If you buy stock with this mark, you will not receive interest for this period.

XP (Excluding Principal) – Exclusion of principal. If you buy stock with this mark, you will not receive the principal amount announced for repayment in this period.

XA (Excluding All) – Exclusion of all rights. If you buy stock with this mark, you will not receive any rights announced by the company. You can click for more details to see which rights are excluded.

XE (Excluding Exercise) – Exclusion of conversion rights. If you buy stock with this mark, you cannot convert the rights instrument into the underlying shares.

XN (Excluding Capital Return) – Exclusion of capital return. Capital reduction involves restructuring the company’s capital, especially for companies with accumulated losses over a long period. It helps offset accumulated losses.

XB (Excluding Other Benefit) – Exclusion of other rights. This mark applies when the company allocates preferred shares to common shareholders or allocates common shares to preferred shareholders, including public offerings to existing shareholders. Preferred shares are securities that combine features of debt and equity, offering fixed returns like bonds but without a fixed redemption date like common shares.

Second Group: T Mark - Price Crisis and Green Trading Signals

Marks starting with T are used for stocks experiencing rapid price increases or high speculation. The stock exchange implements measures to control such phenomena.

T1 (Trading Alert Level 1) – First-level trading warning. When a stock has this mark, you can only buy with a Cash Balance account. This mark remains for 3 weeks from the date announced by the stock exchange.

T2 (Trading Alert Level 2) – Second-level trading warning. If a stock with T1 still meets the warning criteria within one month of the announcement, it will be upgraded to T2. You must buy only with a Cash Balance account and cannot use this stock as collateral for loans. This mark stays for 3 weeks.

T3 (Trading Alert Level 3) – Third-level trading warning. If a stock with T2 still meets the criteria, it will be upgraded to T3. Additional restrictions include: no net settlement. This means that when you sell the stock, the buying power will not be immediately restored but will be delayed until the next day. Normally, if you buy stocks worth 10,000 THB and then sell, your buying power is restored immediately; with T3 stocks, it is delayed by one day. This measure prevents multiple trades within the same day.

A Cash Balance account is suitable for beginner investors because you can only buy stocks up to the amount of your account balance. It simplifies investment management and helps control trading volume with actual funds.

Third Group: Additional Warning Marks for Investors

This group of marks is used to alert investors to exercise caution.

H (Trading Halt) – The stock is temporarily halted for one trading session. The market has two sessions per day: morning and afternoon. This mark appears when news leaks to the public but the listed company has not yet reported to the stock exchange.

SP (Trading Suspension) – The stock is temporarily suspended for more than one session. Causes are similar to H, such as news leaks or failure to submit financial reports on time.

NP (Notice Pending) – The company has something to report to the market. Once the report is submitted, this mark will change to NR.

NR (Notice Received) – The stock exchange has received the report from the company.

NC (Non-Compliance) – The company is in the process of potential delisting. This mark appears when the company has sustained losses over a long period or failed to submit financial statements. The company has one year to resolve the issue.

ST (Stabilization) – The company is maintaining stock price stability. A common method is the “Greenshoe” option, where the IPO issues more shares than planned to support the price and prevent it from falling below the IPO price during the first 30 days.

C (Caution) – A warning to investors to be cautious. The company has problems and high financial risk. Investors should avoid investing in this stock for now. This mark appears when:

Financial issues:

• Shareholders’ equity less than 50% of paid-up capital
• The court has accepted a rehabilitation or bankruptcy petition
• Regulatory authorities have ordered corrective actions and suspended certain operations

Financial statement issues:

• Auditors have issued a disclaimer due to scope limitations
• SEC has ordered corrections or special audits

Business nature:

• The company is a Cash Company (selling all or nearly all assets, leaving only cash or short-term securities)

Summary: Why is it important to recognize CA marks and end-of-stock signals?

The CA mark indicates that certain events will occur with the stock soon. Viewing details reveals what the event is and when it will happen. Various suffix abbreviations like XD, XM, XW, XR, or T1, T2, T3 are crucial for investment decisions because each indicates rights you will not receive or trading restrictions. Fully understanding these is essential for investors.